VIA: "Intel has it wrong with mobile x86"

COMPUTEX 2010: After a quick hands on with VIA's 7 inch tablet - sadly, it was only a dummy-sample, so nothing much to report there - we asked why VIA was going down the ARM route rather than using an ultra low power x86. After all, VIA has several years expertise with designing low power x86 CPUs with its own Nano CPUs. Interestingly, as well as holding an x86 license, it has also licensed ARM's IP, too.

VIA explained to us that its view was that x86 can't scale as well as ARM in terms of power-to-size ratio, and that's why it had decided to go with ARM in its own budget tablets.

We put VIA's opinion to Intel this afternoon during a round-table discussion, and its reply was to simply say "others can do what they want". Each to their own then - we should get some good competition (for a change!). Let us know your thoughts, in the forums.